Is This the 'Next Generation Firework Show'?

Some 300 Intel-operted drones form a heart in the sky over Hannover, Germany, on June 12, 2018. (Hauke-Christian Dittrich/dpa via AP)

(Newser)
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The booms of fireworks were missing from various towns in drought-wracked states over the Fourth of July, but that doesn't mean there wasn't celebration in the skies. To avoid the risk of wildfires, towns in California, Colorado, and Arizona turned to drones for entertainment. In Carefree, Ariz., the Civana Resort called its free drone display the "next generation firework show," per Business Insider. "Now we have technology that allows us to do precision animation and storytelling—we can write words and draw objects in the sky," the head of Intel's drone group adds, per USA Today. You're not too late to catch a show: After a Wednesday wind delay, 500 drones will arrange themselves into a giant American flag, plus other icons, at California's Travis Air Force Base on Thursday. (Read more Fourth of July stories.)

I don't know. It might work. Look at electric cars. People thought they'd be boring and now the technology has advanced to being one of the best means of transportation around. Of course this will never fly for people who like sudden loud noises.

mrfxx

Jul 5, 2018 9:39 PM CDT

For all you folks WHINING about replacing "real fireworks" with alternatives (drones and laser light shows), I suggest you move to any of the areas in drought then rethink that position. In Colorado, we are in a drought over much of the state - and HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES ARE BURNING FROM WILDFIRES. About 40 "real fireworks" shows were cancelled or replaced (out of about 120 statewide), there were a couple of drone shows and couple of laser light shows as well as "real fireworks". Guess which kind caused BRUSH FIRES (and the worst was a result of one of the "professional shows" while some smaller fires were the result of ID10TS who didn't take weather and dryness conditions into consideration). Frankly, I hope that dolts like you lose EVERYTHING EXCEPT YOUR LIVES to a fire caused by fireworks (or have a loved one go through that) since you are more than willing to have others face that.